Past meets present

The remodel of an older residence brings the opportunity to create an interplay between past and present. Designing crafted elements using contemporary processes is one way to draw yesterday and today together.

As part of this remodel, the homeowners asked architect Nils Finne to replace an existing master bedroom and cramped master bath with a spacious master suite. To achieve this, a two-story addition was added, allowing for the suite upstairs and a study downstairs, says Finne.

"I designed the wood extension with three bay overhangs to break up the mass and create an interesting play between light and shadows.

"Another significant aspect of the project was the introduction of a dramatic, three-story stair hall in the center of the residence. The new stair railing has laser-cut steel vertical supports. While these have an intricate, crafted appeal appropriate to a classic home, they could only have been achieved by laser cutting a perfect marriage of the 1930s and the present day."

The attic above the stairwell was reframed, optimizing views and natural light penetration through the home contemporary functionality and comfort were high on the design agenda.

Several sustainability strategies played a part in day-to-day comfort, says Finne.

"All the exterior walls, and the roof, were insulated to the maximum extent. Rigid-board insulation was attached to the masonry and then plastered over resulting in thick walls and deep sills. Windows were all double glazed."

With energy loss covered, energy creation was also addressed. Ground source wells were drilled to produce strategic heat exchange and minimize heating and cooling energy demand. This reduced gas consumption by about 90%.

A 3.4 kilowatt array of photovoltaic panels was placed on the roof and radiant floor heating introduced the latter boosted by transferred heat from the steady 50ËF ground source wells.

Other sustainable aspects included the use of low-VOC paint and recycled wood flooring.

"Of course, the very act of renovation is inherently sustainable reclaiming all the embedded energy in the original 80-year-old residence," says Finne. "This is another winning combination of the old and the new."

Story by: Charles Moxham